New “crunch cancellation” software has been developed – to remove the sound of munching while wearing a headset. Created by software developer, Dylan Fashbaugh, the AI-powered tech listens out for the sound of someone’s voice, and separates it from the crunch of a snack.
When users eat down the microphone, it “cancels” out munching while maintaining voice audio – meaning people can chomp without making a sound.
“Doritos Silent”, the world’s first AI-augmented “silent” tortilla chip tech, has been in development for six months, involving analysis of more than 5,000 crunch sounds.
Users can now download the software from the brand’s website, and use on PC headsets free of charge. Once installed, you simply turn it on, and it can work in conjunction with any software that supports voice chat.
It follows a study of 2,000 adults, which found 46 percent dislike the sound of other people eating. More than a third (35 percent) find someone else crunching snacks distracting – and 41 percent feel self-conscious of making too much noise when enjoying crunchy snacks themselves.
The issue is particularly prominent among gamers, as a separate poll found 35 percent claim the sound of someone snacking frustrates them.
And 29 percent went as far as to say it impacts their performance, while 18 percent reckon it actually makes them want to log off – with 47 percent naming crisps eaters as the worst offenders.
Yet eating and gaming go hand-in-hand, with 86 percent of gamers claiming they tuck into a snack while playing.
The technology would also allow those working from home to crunch through crisps while dialling into a call – should they wish to.
Dylan Fashbaugh, of Smooth Technology, said: “I jumped at the opportunity to create the first-ever “silent” tortilla chip.
“As a gamer myself, I can testify that nothing throws me off my game more than the sound of someone else tucking into a tasty snack.
“After trialling more than 5,000 crunch sounds, and carefully training the software to remove the sound, this launch means everyone will be able to enjoy Doritos, whilst cancelling out the crunch.”
Of the 2,000 gamers surveyed, via OnePoll, 36 percent said they often eat when gaming – rising to 44 percent of 18-24-year-olds.
More than a quarter (29 percent) were left distracted by the sounds of others snacking, claiming it impacts their performance or prevents them from playing well – while 15 percent believed it puts off their teammates, too.
A spokesman from Doritos said: “It’s been hard to keep this one quiet, but we are finally able to reveal the launch of our “Crunch Cancellation” technology.
“We know that the nation loves the satisfying crunch of our tortilla chips, but listening to someone else enjoy them can be off-putting.
“That’s why we set out to develop the first-ever AI-augmented “silent” snack – and after months of expert development, people across the country can finally crunch down a microphone without making a sound.”